Yeah but the 24-105L is already sharp for around 800$ used. This lens would have to be 599$ for it to fly and knowing canon lately, I seriously doubt that.

My guess. DOA.

I disagree... looking to Nikon, they got the 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G VR ($599) and the excellent 24-120mm f/4G VR ($1.299). When the EOS 6D was launched, many people complained that Canon didn't present a new Kit Lense. I thought that Canon might present a 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS (see http://www.canonrumors.com/2010/11/ef-24-105-f3-5-5-6-is-patent/) but what sense does such a lense make when we got the excellent 24-105mm f/4 IS and the old but decent 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS?

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 IS is officially priced at $1.149 and currently retails for $969. IMO there is a gap in Canon's lense lineup for a 24-70mm f/4 that is similar priced like the Nikkor 24-85mm. Looking at Nikon, to me this lense makes sense.

Unless...you know, I've picked up an old, used 24-85. It isn't the sharpest lens but man, the SIZE is wonderful. If this new 24-70 is just as compact, they make the aperture constant, add in IS, and keep the price $800 or below, it could be an attractive option for those wishing to travel light. While the 24-105 is not a HUGE lens, it's definitely substantial on all but the biggest bodies (5D/1D series).

+1

I also assume that this 24-70/4 IS will fill the gap of the 24-85 USM. Guess that the "L" is just marketing...

Unless...you know, I've picked up an old, used 24-85. It isn't the sharpest lens but man, the SIZE is wonderful. If this new 24-70 is just as compact, they make the aperture constant, add in IS, and keep the price $800 or below, it could be an attractive option for those wishing to travel light. While the 24-105 is not a HUGE lens, it's definitely substantial on all but the biggest bodies (5D/1D series).

+1

I also assume that this 24-70/4 IS will fill the gap of the 24-85 USM. Guess that the "L" is just a marketing gag.

The new firmware allows cross-type autofocusing with the center AF point even when the maximum aperture of a Canon EF lens/extender combination becomes as small as f/8. Ideal for wildlife photographers and others who often use EF super-telephoto lenses with extenders, this new feature greatly expands the range of EF lens/extender combinations that support autofocus when used with the EOS...

Since the D600 has AF support at f/8 I hope that the 5D III and the 6D will also get such a Firmware Update.

Because Canon offers the better package. It's not all about the sensor. It's the combination of the sensor, AF, ergonomics, processor and lenses. Similar to cars, where one company offers the better engine, but another company offers the better car. The best engine won't do the job if the car "sucks"

Look, let's get down to the nitty gritty. I work for a camera retailer and I can guarantee you that since April the D800 has outsold the 5D Mk3 by a 5 to 1 ratio. This explains recent price drops on the body and the deal struck with the Adorama ebay site.

Could it be different form country to country? In my region I see quite a lot of 5DIII's but hardly any D800.

We don't know yet... I have the suspicion that the "wow" will come once we see the AL performance of the 6D.

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2) the price is still steep for rebel upgraders (especially when you factor in that EF-S glass is useless in the canon FF universe - at least on nikon you can still use it, albeit in crop mode --its still usable at least and not something you HAVE to sell because they won't mount on canon FF bodies)

First of all, going FF is always expensive and unless you buy a used 5D or D700, you have to spend quite a lot of money. Secondly, many people who go FF have already the necessary lenses. Thirdly, if someone upgrades from DX (16 MP) to FX, a 10 MP DX mode is imo an unacceptable downgrade.

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3) Weak AF is the reason many rebel users opted for the 7d over the mk2 - (more options, less cost, more glass options because you have EF-S options) if you have to sell your glass and by new glass anyways, nikon becomes a whole lot more alluring4) Weak AF again - this FF should be a nice upgrade path for current 7d users.

We don't know yet how good or bad the new 11-point AF system is. Maybe this "weak AF" is much stronger than we think and outperforms the one of the D600... don't forget, the 19-point AF system of the 7D outperformed the 51 focus points of the D300S.

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Other than gaining a bit of low light advantage

Only a bit? The af working range from -3 to 18 EV of the 6D compared with -1 to 19 EV of the Nikon D600 is imo more than just a bit of al advantage.

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its people wanting a 2000 cam for 2000!!!!

What exactly is a $2.000 DSLR?

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Oddly enough, taking that pop up flash away kind of ruins this camera from the perspective of it being the FF upgrade path for rebel users.

For landscape and AL photography, which is imo the target market of the 6D, you don't need a flash. And if someone spends $2.000 for a DSLR, investing into a flash shouldn't break the bank, right?

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6) it isn't attractive to professionals who may very well have wanted a valid option at this price point as a backup body.

Why not? If the AL performance of the 6D is good or better than the one of the 5D II, than I consider the 6D not only as a backup body. I don't need a sophisticated AF, I only need a very good AF under bad lighting conditions.

Maybe it's a complete different sensor because the 6D aims at a different market segment? Lower MP, hopefully lower noise at low and high ISO as well? The 6D aims imo at landscape and available light photography and in both areas everyone would welcome lower noise.

Landscape photographers are looking forward to exceptionally good-looking images at low ISO levels. They also don't need a very sophisticated AF (but would like to have GPS). Another area is architecture photography - again high quality images at low ISO levels and no AF since T/S-E lenses don't have AF. The other area is AL photography, there you want low noise at high ISO levels and for AL the most important AF point is the center cross point.

IMO the 6D targets a very specific market and if they developed a new sensor to reduce noise, this DSLR could be spot on for that kind of photography.

I never expected that the 6D will and can replace a 7D or cover its specific field of photography. If someone wants a FF DLSR which offers high fps, a very fast AF than the 1DX is the right DSLR. But then you have to accept the higher price. The 7D is basically a cheap alternative to the 1DX with the advantage of the 1.6x Crop factor. The 6D covers a complete different area of photography and thus is not a FF replacement of the 7D. It basically replaces the older 5Ds.

The 5D Mark III how ever is the workhorse many photographers thought that the 5D Mark II should have been. How ever, the fast AF, more fps comes at a price. The 5D Mark III is basically Canons "Jack of all trades". Besides a 5D Mark III costs as much as a 7D and a 6D. Thus it's possible to say, that the 5D Mark III is the 7D with a FF sensor and to be honest, the 5D Mark III is worth every single penny.

Any Rebel or xxD owner would be faced with a choice between the new 6D FF or the old tech 7D with little or no upgrade in IQ from what they were previously using.

Depending on what the Rebel or xxD owner used before, both 60D and 7D still offer an upgrade in IQ. Owning a 450D/XSi, I am currently considering the 60D/70D/7D as a replacement and I can tell you, the 18 MP Sensor of the 60D/7D is a big improvement over the 12 MP Sensor of the 450D.

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Unless of course, Canon brings out a 7D2 sometime in early-2013 with even better specs for around $2500 price territory. But then the big question arises, will a new 7D still have a crop sensor? Will buyers pay more for APS-C than for FF?

Buyers bought APS-H even though a cheaper FF existed. And there are action, sport and wildlife photographers which would prefer a high speed Crop-DSLR over the 5D III.

It looks like the exposure compensation and ISO dials are gone. That's not good.

Why? My DSLR doesn't have those dials and I don't need them. Anyway, I assume that the G15 will have a touch display (don't know if I like that) and it seems like the articulated screen is gone. Thus the body should be a bit thinner.